One of the most significant books ever written by a head of State, the Meditations are a collection of philosophical thoughts by the Emperor Marcus Aurelius (121 - 180 ce). Covering issues such as duty, forgiveness, brotherhood, strength in adversity and the best way to approach life and death, the Meditations have inspired thinkers, poets and politicians since their first publication more than 500 years ago. Today, the book stands as one of the great guides and companions - a cornerstone of Western thought.

The Obstacle Is the Way: The Timeless Art of Turning Trials into Triumph

We are stuck, stymied, frustrated. But it needn't be this way. There is a formula for success that's been followed by the icons of history - from John D. Rockefeller to Amelia Earhart to Ulysses S. Grant to Steve Jobs - a formula that let them turn obstacles into opportunities. Faced with impossible situations, they found the astounding triumphs we all seek.

Moral Letters to Lucilius, Vol. 1

This audiobook contains the first 65 letters of Seneca's series of Stoic philosophic explorations, covering subjects as far reaching as fame, death, travel, and asthma. Heavily referenced and quoted by many, the full text is read for you, unabridged.

A Guide to the Good Life: The Ancient Art of Stoic Joy

One of the great fears many of us face is that despite all our effort and striving, we will discover at the end that we have wasted our life. In A Guide to the Good Life, William B. Irvine plumbs the wisdom of Stoic philosophy, one of the most popular and successful schools of thought in ancient Rome, and shows how its insight and advice are still remarkably applicable to modern lives. In A Guide to the Good Life, Irvine offers a refreshing presentation of Stoicism, showing how this ancient philosophy can still direct us toward a better life.

Stoicism: A Friendly Beginners Guide to the Ancient Philosophy of Stoicism

Are you having frequent bouts of anxiety or depression? Do all modern therapeutic methods seem useless? Why not try stoicism? Stoicism is an ancient Greek philosophy that has been hailed as a savior of humanity. It is a philosophy practiced by ancient Greeks and Romans over 2,000 years back and has not lost its appeal in the present century. Such is its power that it is applicable even in the present day.

The Fish That Ate the Whale: The Life and Times of America's Banana King

When Samuel Zemurray arrived in America in 1891, he was tall, gangly, and penniless. When he died in the grandest house in New Orleans 69 years later, he was among the richest, most powerful men in the world. In between, he worked as a fruit peddler, banana hauler, dockside hustler, and plantation owner. He battled and conquered the United Fruit Company, becoming a symbol of the best and worst of the United States: proof America is the land of opportunity, but also a classic example of the corporate pirate who treats foreign nations as the backdrop for his adventures.

Man's Search for Meaning

Internationally renowned psychiatrist, Viktor E. Frankl, endured years of unspeakable horror in Nazi death camps. During, and partly because of his suffering, Dr. Frankl developed a revolutionary approach to psychotherapy known as logotherapy. At the core of his theory is the belief that man's primary motivational force is his search for meaning.

Gorilla Mindset

Applying Gorilla Mindset to your life (make no mistake, this is an audiobook you must apply) will improve your health and fitness, lead to more money and career advancement, and help you have deeper, more meaningful relationships (or more casual ones; it's your choice). Your thinking will become clear. You will have more focus. You will know exactly what steps to take to change your life. More importantly, you will be able to troubleshoot your own life.

The Art of Learning: An Inner Journey to Optimal Performance

The Art of Learning takes listeners through Waitzkin's unique journey to excellence. He explains in clear detail how a well-thought-out, principled approach to learning is what separates success from failure. Waitzkin believes that achievement, even at the championship level, is a function of a lifestyle that fuels a creative, resilient growth process.

We Learn Nothing: Essays

In We Learn Nothing, satirical cartoonist Tim Kreider turns his funny, brutally honest eye to the dark truths of the human condition, asking big questions about human-sized problems: What if you survive a brush with death and it doesn't change you? Why do we fall in love with people we don't even like? How do you react when someone you've known for years unexpectedly changes genders?

Tao Te Ching: A New English Version

In 81 brief chapters, Lao Tzu's Tao Te Ching, or Book of the Way, provides advice that imparts balance and perspective, as well as a serene and generous spirit. It teaches us how to work for the good with the effortless skill that comes from being in accord with the Tao: the basic principle of the universe.

Vagabonding: An Uncommon Guide to the Art of Long-Term World Travel

Vagabonding is about taking time off from your normal life - from six weeks to four months to two years - to discover and experience the world on your own terms. Veteran shoestring traveler Rolf Potts shows how anyone armed with an independent spirit can achieve the dream of extended overseas travel.

What I Learned Losing a Million Dollars

Jim Paul's meteoric rise took him from a small town in Northern Kentucky to governor of the Chicago Mercantile Exchange, yet he lost it all - his fortune, his reputation, and his job - in one fatal attack of excessive economic hubris. In this honest, frank analysis, Paul and Brendan Moynihan revisit the events that led to Paul's disastrous decision and examine the psychological factors behind bad financial practices in several economic sectors.

Daily Rituals: How Artists Work

Kafka is one of 161 inspired-and inspiring-minds, among them, novelists, poets, playwrights, painters, philosophers, scientists, and mathematicians, who describe how they subtly maneuver the many (self-inflicted) obstacles and (self-imposed) daily rituals to get done the work they love to do, whether by waking early or staying up late; whether by self-medicating with doughnuts or bathing, drinking vast quantities of coffee, or taking long daily walks.

The Meditations of Marcus Aurelius

Marcus Aurelius was Roman Emperor from 161 C.E. to his death in 180 C.E. He was destined to be a leader, havin being born into a prominent family - one related by blood and marriage to rulers and bankers. During his era, Romans who inherited power and vast fortunes were expected to set an example.

Essays by Ralph Waldo Emerson

Here in one volume are both the Essays: First Series and Essays: Second Series from one of the most influential philosophers in American history. Although Ralph Waldo Emerson, perhaps America’s most famous philosopher, did not wish to be referred to as a transcendentalist, he is nevertheless considered the founder of this major movement of nineteenth-century American thought. Emerson was influenced by a liberal religious training; theological study; personal contact with the Romanticists Coleridge, Carlyle, and Wordsworth; and a strong indigenous sense of individualism and self-reliance.

Mastery

What did Charles Darwin, middling schoolboy and underachieving second son, do to become one of the earliest and greatest naturalists the world has known? What were the similar choices made by Mozart and by Caesar Rodriguez, the U.S. Air Force's last ace fighter pilot? In Mastery, Robert Greene's fifth book, he mines the biographies of great historical figures for clues about gaining control over our own lives and destinies. Picking up where The 48 Laws of Power left off, Greene culls years of research and original interviews to blend historical anecdote and psychological insight, distilling the universal ingredients of the world's masters.

Titan: The Life of John D. Rockefeller, Sr.

Titan is the first full-length biography based on unrestricted access to Rockefeller’s exceptionally rich trove of papers. A landmark publication full of startling revelations, the book indelibly alters our image of this most enigmatic capitalist. Born the son of a flamboyant, bigamous snake-oil salesman and a pious, straitlaced mother, Rockefeller rose from rustic origins to become the world’s richest man by creating America’s most powerful and feared monopoly, Standard Oil. Branded "the Octopus" by legions of muckrakers, the trust refined and marketed nearly 90 percent of the oil produced in America.

Stoics and Epicureans

Stoics and Epicureans date from the Hellenistic period, but the debate between these two modes of thought continues today. For the Stoics, the goal of human life was to align one's nature with the rational order of all things by cultivating pure reason. Through the practice of dialectic, they aimed for ethical righteousness and self-control. In sad or turbulent times, stoical endurance has appealed to many people as a way of coping.

Publisher's Summary

One of the most significant books ever written by a head of State, the Meditations are a collection of philosophical thoughts by the Emperor Marcus Aurelius (121 - 180 ce). Covering issues such as duty, forgiveness, brotherhood, strength in adversity and the best way to approach life and death, the Meditations have inspired thinkers, poets and politicians since their first publication more than 500 years ago. Today, the book stands as one of the great guides and companions - a cornerstone of Western thought.

Would you consider the audio edition of Meditations to be better than the print version?

Sometimes Marcus can get a bit repetitive, this is probably due to the fact that this book was actually a diary and was not written intending to be a proper book. I had a much better time listening to the book than reading it.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Meditations?

Marcus Aurelius was one of the few rulers who was good with words as well as with actions. The whole thing is great.

Have you listened to any of Duncan Steen’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

Duncan performs his reading marvelously, he brings Marcus to life, it feels like author is actually talking to you.

What’s the most interesting tidbit you’ve picked up from this book?

BEGIN EACH DAY by telling yourself: Today I shall be meeting with interference, ingratitude, insolence, disloyalty, ill-will, and selfishne

Any additional comments?

It's a shame that only a few other classics from stoicism are availble at audible. I would like to see other books from seneca and a very good book about the subject here: A Guide to the Good Life: The Ancient Art of Stoic Joy

A classic work of personal philosophy that has not aged a day since it was written by Emperor Marcus Aurelius between 170 and 180 CE.

Who was your favorite character and why?

N/A

What does Duncan Steen bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Fantastic voice...not grating or wheezy or nerdily academic...Steen sounds like a soldier and a dignified ruler, and it is so easy to imagine Aurelius himself narrating his Meditations.I would still read the book, because this is philosophy and not something you gobble down in a few hours. This is a road map for living. But I enjoyed being able to listen to a title that I have loved since I was 16, while doing something else with my hands.

If you were to make a film of this book, what would be the tag line be?

This is undoubtedly one of the best books ever written! Best advice for young and old in a perfectly straightforward manner. The most remarkable treatise on how to live ones life, whether it be on your actions or responding to the actions of others. One of the most remarkable books that Ive ever read- hands down. This is the best audible version of it as well. AN ABSOLUTE MUST READ.

The great leaders insight on morality, ethics, love and war. His belief in worrying about how you view yourself rather than how others view you is a very powerful thought from such a public figure. The Eastern philosophy of mindfulness is exemplified by much of his writing.

A compilation of writings never intended for publication, you receive a candid insight into the man himself, his values, principles and ponderings. Seeking balance in his life as a ruler, a warrior, spouse, father and human being - I found his perspectives fascinating...

Have you listened to any of Duncan Steen’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

No - but I am a new fan. His verbal inflections reflect an obvious mental and emotional immersion into the topic matter and do great credit to the writings and meditations of Marcus Aurelius...

If you could give Meditations a new subtitle, what would it be?

"Wisdoms & Guidance for Life..."

Any additional comments?

A magnificent compilation of historical wisdoms, historically articulated through many cultures and various systems of belief, most of us have had handed down to us through the course of our own lives. Welcome caveat being, these wisdoms are offered through the prism and perspective of the man himself, which brings depth and dimension to Marcus Aurelius as a man and insight into how his wheels turned. As an "average Joe," and casual student of philosophy, I found this book so worth my time, I play it repetitiously, like a favorite movie from which you catch something new each time you watch it...!! Narrator, Duncan Steen - CHERRS...!!

The material is excellent and the voice is perfect for this Book - not too dramatic, not too droll, no irritations - absolutely perfect - the combination of these great words and this perfect voice can bring you Peace.

5 of 7 people found this review helpful

Kaustubh Prabhu

7/23/15

Overall

Performance

Story

"Philosophy that grounds you"

Picked this up after a recommendation from Ryan Holiday.Is a great gem and something I listen to once a week at least. Highly recommended. A classic in Stoic philosophy narrated by a calm yet firm(Stoic?) voice.

0 of 0 people found this review helpful

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